Magazine multiple tool handle



' p il, 1953 J. E. EGAN 2,635,661

MAGAZINE MULTIPLE TOOL HANDLE Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 Sl-IEETS-Sl-IEET l{ELEM-mama lll .m.

INVENTOR.

April 21, 1953 J.E. EGAN f MAGAZINE MULTIPLE TOOL HANDLE Filed Dec. 5,1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. W a BY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 -MAGAZINEMULTIPLE TOOL HANDLE '.Iiam E- sam sh wi i Application December 5, 1949,Serial No. 1'31,2 1

Theinvention relates to amultiple tool.

The objectof the invention is to provide 'a :m'ultiple ..tool inwhich-a' plurality of tools are housed within the handle of the tool, and anyone of the tools may beselectively projected intolits operating positionrelative to the handle. l'I'hus the -.tool may carry a series ofdifferent kinds of screwdrivers or wrenches of different type' and sizesany one of which may be quickly made available for use. I I I I Afurther object of the invention is to provide a tool having a multipletool housing handle, mechanism associated with the handle forselectively moving any one of the tools into operating positionrelativeto the handle, and means tor-locking the tool in its operating position.

The invention-furtherconsists in the several features hereinafterdescribed and -more par- .ticularly defined by claims at the conclusionhere'ofw In the drawings, 'Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a toolembodying the invention, the parts being shown -in-atool-selectorposition; w

Fig. 2 isa viewsimilar to Fig. --1 showing the 6 parts in an operativeposition;

- Fig. 3 is a detailed horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the tool; Fig. 5 is an elevation view ofthe tool retainer andguide; v V V Fig. 6 is a detailed frontelevationview of certainof the parts;

FigJZ is-a side elevation ,viewoftheindexing means forthetool selector;V I

Fig.8 is a plan view of the part shown in i I Fig. 9 is a detailed topview ofone of the tools; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view similar toFig. 1 showing a modification; g

Fig. '11 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 of the modifiedform shown in Fig. 11; v Fig. 12 is a detailed view of parts of themodification;- i i Fig. 13 is an elevation'view of the modified form oftool. 1' I 0 Referring to Figs. 11 to Bof the drawings, the numeral 10designates the handle. of the tool which is hollow toform a housing:forthe tools H each of which has'a polygonal shank I 2, here shown asahexagon, whichin the'operative position of the tool registers with asimilarly formed polygonal opening l3 injth'e lower end oi' the toolwhich prevents} rotationfof the -positionedtool relative to" the.handlei- As shown,

handle 2 has a flange.

ries a push button or plungerthead 4i and bore 1.4 .to. which radiallydisposed: longitudinally extending tool spacer ribs I 5 are secured orformedintegral therewith, :if desired. The upper end" of the. handle hasan- .nular groove I0a.to receive a springretainer ring I6, and'it has atapered bore portion. Ma

to guide the lower ends of the tools to the chuck opening'l3.

rotatable: to'ol retainer I1. .is' formed as ,a tube provided with.spaced ann'ularfianges l8 and I9 near itsupper'end', said tube beingsplit 'throughou't its'length by'a series of connecting slots 20, 2|,221 23, and 24; i8- o'f thi's tube rests on the tops of the ribsil5 -'sothat-the-tube maybe rotated relative to the housing "Each tool II has anotch 25 The. upper flange formed! in its upper end and is cut back orrelieved at the top side 26 of this notch so that the tools maybe hungfrom or. held against longitudinal movement by the flange I9 bytheengagement of the notched portion 25 with said The alined slots-2|, 22,and..23 permit successive placement of the tools on theretainer which"also forms a guide forthe tool selector and positioning mechanism. V i

- A tool indexing member 21 comprises afianged metal-disk which has aconically inclineditop edge 28 engageable with the ring l6 and adaptedunder end thr'ustto exert pressure against .said

ring. This disk has-a central opening 29 to fit over'the upper end ofthe tube l'i with a slot '30 in its top extending through-the upperconical edge 28. The side flange 3! of the diskinline with the slot 30has a depending finger 32pmvided-with an index-point 32a. Thewtop of thedisk adjacent portions'of the opening 29 has slits-'33 cut thereincommunicating with. slits 3ladjacent the slot 30,- these. slits 34 alsoextending down through-the .side flangeof... the

disk as shown in Fig. .7. .Thedisk is madeof spring steel so-that theflngeritz, because of the slitting, forms a spring finger which extendsdown into the-"slotted portion of the flange l3 ofthe tube so that itiskeyed to said tube. The bottom tube edge of the flange 3| rests on theflange I 8 oflthe 'The tool selector and positioning mechanism includesa round rod 35 having a lever slot, 36 extending thelength thereof witha transverse notch 3'l intersecting saidxslot near its upper end-whichisprovided with a bore 38 inwhich a rod 39 is slidably mounted. The rod39,.has

a lever slott0 aliningwithslot 36 and alsojcarhas one end of -'aspring'dz'anch'ored thereto. I 1,,

A selector lever $3 is mounted to move in the slots and and has alocking and pivot pin 84 mounted in it intermediate its ends, said pinbeing disposed in the notch 31 when the lever is in a withdrawn positionas shown in Fig. 1, it being noted that the rod 39 is slotted at so themovement of the rod 39 relative to rod 35 does not affect said pin, butthe lower end of the slot 45 may engage thepin 44 to limit the upwardmovement of said rod 39. The'lever '43 pivots-on the rod 35 through thepin 44 and is connected. to the lower pin end 46 of the spring 42 by aslot 41. At its lower end, the lever 43 has a forked selector block orchucking means :48ypivotaliyconnected thereto by a pin 49. The block 48is provided with a notched head 50 for chucking engagement with thenotched-portion 12542116. side 25 of a selected tool, it being notedthat in Fig. l the block 48 is disposed in the slot 2| so' that theselected tool is not engaged by the flange IS. The

upper .end :oftlrei'levenhas .arcamor *weiigenuriace 5 i which: is:adaptedtto engage :attransver-sely :;dis posedportiontfiz (seellEigfi)'of the :spring :tobe iorcedibyisaid spring into th'eiposition'shown in:to said'rmember:byrits'sliding mounting in-th'e slot T20 :of saidmember. The member 521 13111 turn "keyed to'fthe retainer I l by the:projection of the finger32 'into the slot 2| of-saidretainer, itbeingnoted' that:asitheretainer is turned, theflnger'fl ridesover the:tops'o'f thetoolsandinanyindexed position its point 52a T-moves idOWIliI-HO registry withia 'notch*53 (.SSEFignQ) formed inthe top :ofIth'tOOl.

'W-ith the selector lever -43 positioned :overthe tool to beoperativelyipositioned the holder'or 'thandle 'Hi and the parts thenbeing -in the positiOlliShOWIlil'l Fig. 1, the operatorgpresses.inward-'ly on the 'button'4l moving rod-39 -inwardly.relativeitorod 35and-moving Sprlng-42 inwardly-or 'downwardlytrelativeto lever 43causingtsaidxlever 'to pivot about :the pin 49 and its upper-send toswingoutwardly. A washer'54-on the-rod 39 en- :gagesrodiiifi relayingthrust tepid-414 to lever '43. There is then a direct thrust on :thelever 43 :from therod 139 and the1selected tool heldin se- Ilector block:or "chucking imeans 4-8 -is pushed downwardly in the handle Hi-llIlti1:"ll'/S lower end is guided by the taper bore 14a into :thechuck opening 13, the spring 42 permitting the lever 43 to shiftrelative to the rod "35 so "that while the .pin '44 may be almost out50f the -notch3 'l after engagement of washer :54 with the :rod 35 when"the'tool H is extending through the opening 1 3, the lever 43 ismoveddown-until the ends-of'the pin "44 engage the top of the tube l-l,:=andunder these conditions since the ends of this pin are bevelled asshownrat 55in iF-igedgthey will 'act to cam theiupper end'of theleverinwardly-andpermitthe pin 4'4 'to move idowninto the tube :untilthe 'polygonalishank of the tool registers with :the opening 13, and at.the'completion of'the-gmovement of theselector mechanism, the ;pin44-.alines position of abutting engagement with the flange l5 adjacentsaid slot so any end thrusts imparted against the tool will now beresisted through the selector mechanism transferring these thruststhrough the pin to the members I! and 21 to the retainer ring l6 andthen to the handle, the greater the thrust, the greater the wedgingaction of the ring 16 because of the tapered surface 28.

With the -parts shown in the position .of Fig. 2 when theoperator pullsoutwardly on the button 4|, the spring 42shifts its position in the slot41 and acts on the lever 43 to shift the pin 44 into the notch 31 andout of locking engagement with atlreflange 1.9, and then a continuedpull on the button 4! brings the parts to the initial position-*showndnl 'ig. l where the selector may be turned to -engage another:tool, if desired. The handle withtheslot 22 in'the retainerHwhichpermits the spring '42 :to throw the upper end of :said lever 43outwardly rto .disposeithe pin -44 in 1a ill is provided with indexmarks 56 to aid in position'i-ng the selector lever 43 and the indexingfinger 32 relative to the tools in said handle. It will be noted ifrom1311B above that :izhe lever 43 :withathepin 44 forms 1-a latchto :loekthe selector mechanism inia tool:positioning.positiomandimat this latch:is released through the relative :movem'entoftherodszifi andi39.

Referring to Figs. -l0'to l3 whichzshow'a :modi- =fied form-of theinvention, the handle of-ltheto'ol -is;formed of telescoping'cylinders5Tand 58. The cylinder 5'! 'is-vgen'erally similar to the handle 10 andhas a bore 59 to which :radialltrdisposedlonrgitudinally extending toolspacer .ribs 5.0,:similar to the ribs 1.5 are secured or formed integraltherewith, :if .desired. "The upper end of the cylinder5l has an annulargroove x61 to receive Ia split spring :ringretainer- 62, and :itha-satapered bore portion 59a to guide the lower :end of the tools i I havingtpolygonalishanks 12 to wthesimi- ,larly shaped chuokopening 52.

"The-cylinder 58 hasiabore'63 which is'slidably mounted on the outerside of the cylinder 5'l,=an'd it fixedly carries a toothed chuck plate54 at its upper endadapted to engage in-the toothedaend portion -65 'of'the cylinder 5-1-50 that both parts of the handle will turntogetherinthe operative positionofthe tool as shownin-Fig. 1-1.

A tool retainer '55 isformed as-a-tube provided with spaced annularflanges ii! and 58 at its upper end, said tube being split throughoutits length :by a .slot .65 similar to the slot 2!. The upper flanged?!of this tube rests on the tops of the ribs 55. The tool II is the samein the .first described construction .having a notch 25 formed in itsupper end and is but hack or relievedatthe topside 25- of this-notch sothat the tools may be hung fromior heldagainst lengthwise .movement .bythe flange 58 by the notched portion 25 engaging with said flange.

.A-tool indexing member iii, identical with the member .exceptthatitstopis not tapered or inclined, is interposed between .t,, e carrier 55.and thering-EZ, .andit .hassa central opening Ti and a slot l2communicating therewith similar to the opening 29 and slot 55 of member2?.

The tool selector and positioning mechanism includes a .post or abutmentE3 and a spring finger "it. The post T3 is anchored to the 'top of thecylinder ta n a .screw 15a and has a tapered side 15 againstwhich thelower endoi the spring finger 1.4 abuts in the operative .position-of.the tooland has as'top flange "tea .at its lower end to engage atoneside with-astopproejection J6 on'the member :68 to limit-the outwardin Fig. 11 of the drawings by the fact that the flange 1511" projectsover a part of the finger.

The spring finger I4 is anchored at its upper endto thepost I3 by screws11 and is formed to normally extend outwardly at I8 from the post I3and'also to have a notched-lower end or chuck- -ing' means 19 adapted tointerlock with the --notched'portion' 25 of: the tool I! and berundersome tensionintheposition shown in Fig. 10. As in thefirst'describedconstruction, rotation .ofthe cylinder 58 moves the finger I4with it so that said fingermay be positioned over any tool desiredfor'use, the index member I and the member 66 also being rotated becausethe post has akeyed connection with the top portion-80 of the b rii-an aim la eer e tie with the slot I2 of the indexing member 10'. u MRotation of the cylinder -58'*and the movement for the fingerId-to-aposition to 'engagetheida sired toolispermitted-when the cylinder58is drawn out to the position-shownin Fig. 10; Then as the cylinder 58is pushed in or over the cylinder 51, the tapered portion 59a acts tocam or guide thetool l l into the opening 62, so thatits polygonal endseats itself in said opening and in doing so draws the notched end orchucking means I9 of the spring finger I4 into abutting engagement withthe post I3 as shown in Fig. 11 in the final position of the tool asshown in Fig. 11. In this position the pressure of the spring finger I4on the tool acts to hold the tool against movement in the cylinder 58,and as the operator in using the tool has to exert pressure on thecylinder 58 to engage the tool with the work, the tool will be heldagainst longitudinal movement relative to the cylinder 51, and since thekeyed or clutch connection 64, 65 is then engaged, the tool I I isturned by the turning of the assembled parts by exerting a turningaction on the cylinder 58. It will be noted that in this form thecylinder 58 with the parts I3 and I4 forms a rotary and lengthwisemovable tool selector and positioning mechanism for positioning aselected tool in operative position in the opening 62 of the handleportion 5! and holding it against endwise movement relative to saidhandle.

It is also to be noted in connection with the first form above describedthat by pressing inwardly on the push button 4| so as to bring it intoabutting, engagement with the rod 35 in the extended position of thedevice as shown in Fig. 1 and then pushing inwardly on the lower end ofthe lever 43, this lever may be disconnected from the tool II in itsselective position so that this selected tool may be dropped out of thehousing through the opening I3 and will permit pulling out the selectorassembly including the rod 35 and lever 43 from the housing andclutching the lever 43 with a new tool and then reassembling the parts35 and 43 in the housing with the clutched tool in the position ofassembled relation shown in Fig. 1 with the new tool interlocked withthe block 48.

It is to be noted that in either form of the device the tool I I isalways positively chucked to the selector mechanism either in itswithdrawn position as shown in Figs. 1 and or in its operative positionas shown in Figs. 2 and 11.

The tools Il may be of various kinds, for example, plain screwdrivers,screwdrivers for Phillips head screws, screw wrenches for Allen headscrews, chisels, gouges, gimlets, etc.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited toany particular form or 6 arrangement of parts except in sofariasfsuchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a multiple tool, the combination of a handle forming a radiallypartitioned housing for a plurality of tools and provided with anopening at one end to operatively receive. the shank of anyone ofsaidtools, said tools having notched shanks, a retainer having a flange.engaging the notched shanksf of said tools and mounted for rotaryadjustment in-said handle relative to said tools with a slot in saidflange to i free any selected tool therefrom, selector means for'rotating said retainer including a chucking meansworking in'the slot ofsaid flange to positively-engage the selected tool, said selector'mearis-also mounted-for reciprocatory movement relative to said handle topositively move the select- -ed' tool from its position in the slotin'said flange into operative position in said opening,'and meansfor-lockingsaidselector means against endwise movement relative to saidhandle when the selected tool is in operative position.

2. In a multiple tool, the combination of a handle forming a radiallypartitioned housing for a plurality of tools and provided with anopening at one end to operatively receive the shank of any one of saidtools, said tools having notched shanks, a retainer having a flangeengaging the notched shanks of said tools and mounted for rotaryadjustment in said handle relative to said tools with a slot in saidflange to free any selected tool therefrom, an indexing ring mounted onsaid retainer and rotatable therewith and having an inclined edge, aretainer ring mounted in said handle and engageable with said inclinededge, and rotary and reciprocatory tool selector mechanism rotatablewith said retainer and movable lengthwise relative thereto to move aselected tool into an operative position relative to said opening insaid handle and having releasable locking means engageable with saidretainer in the operative position of the selected tool.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 in which the selector mechanismincludes a pair ofrelatively slidably movable rods provided with alinedlengthwise extending slots, one of said rods having a transverselydisposed notch, a lever working in said slots and provided with a pinengageable in said notch, the other of said rods provided with a handgrip and having a spring anchored at one end thereto, said spring at itsother end having a lost jmotion connection with said lever and having atransversely disposed portion engageable with a wedge surface at one endof said lever, the other end of said lever operatively carrying anotched selector blo-ck engageable with the notched end of any one ofthe selected tools, the pin on said lever engageable with said retainerin operative position of the tool to releaseably lock the tool againstendwise movement in said handle.

4. In a multiple tool, the combination of a handle forming a radiallypartitioned housing for a plurality of .tools and provided with anopening at one end to operatively receive the shank of any one of saidtools, said tools having notched shanks, a retainer having a flange en--gaging the notched shanks of said tools and mounted for rotaryadjustment in said handle relative to said tools with a slot in saidflange to free any selected tool therefrom, selector means for rotatingsaid retainer including a chucking means working in the slot of saidflange to posi- '7 tively engage the selected tool, "said selector meansalso mounted forireciprocatory movement relative to said handle topositively move the chucked selected tool :from its position in the slotin said flange into operative position in said ,handle :forming ,aradially partitioned housing "for a plurality of tools and provided withan opening at one :end to operatively receive the shank of anyoneof-sai'd tools, said tools shaving notched ;shanks, a retainerhavinga flange-engaging the notched shanks of said tools and mounted forirotary adjustment in said handle .relative to said ztools'with aradially disposed slot --in said flange to free any selected tool there-B from, selector means for rotating 'Lsaid retainer including anoscillatory :lever :provided with *a chucking means working in the slotin said flange and 'engageable with the notched shank'of the selectedtool to positively hold said tool, said :selector means also mounted forrecipro'cator'y movement relative to'said handle from a tool selectorposition to a position in which the selected tool is positioned in theopening in said ban dle, said chucking means in its tool'selectorposition being releaseable from sa'idselected tool on the manualoperationof said'leve'r.

JAMES E. EGAN.

References Cited in the file of this :patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v

